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I might go on to tell you of many other tribes; but
I must be content just to mention a few.

There is a tribe who live in the eastern part of Siberia,
called the Yakuts, and instead of deer, and dogs,
they keep horses, and oxen, and strange to say, they
ride upon the oxen; and eat the horses.
A horse’s head is counted by them a most dainty
dish. The cows live in one room, and the family
live in the next, with the calves, which are tied to
posts by the fire, and enjoy the full blaze. You
may suppose that the calves need the warmth of the
fire, when I tell you that the windows of the house
are made of ice, but that the cold is so great, that
the ice does not melt.

There is a large tribe called the Buraets. They
dwell in tents. They are Buddhists. At one
time the Russians allowed missionaries to go to them.
There was an old man named Andang, who used to attend
the services very regularly. His wife accompanied
him. One Sunday the preacher spoke much of heaven
and its glories. The old woman, on returning to
her tent, said to her husband, “Old man, I am
going home to-night.” Her husband did not
understand her meaning: then she said, “I
love Jesus Christ, and I think I shall be with him
to-night.” She lay down in her tent that
night, but rose no more. In the morning, the
old man found her stiff and cold. He saddled
his horse, and set off to tell the missionary.
“O sir,” said he, with tears, “my
wife is gone home.” When the missionary
heard the account of her death, he felt cheered by
the hope that the old woman, though born a heathen,
had died a Christian, and had left her tent to dwell
in a glorious mansion above; for how was it that she
felt no fear of death, and how was it that she felt
heaven was her home? Was it not because Jesus
loved her, and because she loved Jesus?

THE BANISHED RUSSIANS.

Siberia is the land to which the emperor sends many
of his people, when they displease him. In passing
through Siberia, you would often see wagons full of
women, children, and old men, followed by a troop of
young men, and guarded by a band of soldiers on horseback.
You might know them to be the banished Russians.
What is to become of them? Some are to work in
the mines, and some are to work in the factories.
Some are to have a less heavy punishment; they are
to be set free, in the midst of Siberia, to support
themselves in any way they can. Gentlemen and
ladies have a small sum of money allowed them by the
emperor, and they live in the towns.

These people are called in Siberia, “the unfortunates.”
Some of them have not deserved to be banished; but
some have been guilty of crimes.

CITIES.

There are a few cities in Siberia, but only a few,
and they have been built by the Russians.

The three chief cities are,—­

Tobolsk, on the west, on the
river Oby.
Irkutsk, in the midst, on
the lake Baikal.
Yarkutsk, on the east, on
the river Lena.